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A usually quiet Steelers team in free agency might be poised to make a key addition.

Pittsburgh is considered the favorite to land Chargers free-agent running back Mike Tolbert, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The Carolina Panthers are also believed to be interested in Tolbert.

While there is no reported visit set up, this move would make perfect sense for the Steelers. Pittsburgh needs to add an experienced runner because Rashard Mendenhall is expected to start the season on the physically unable to perform list after undergoing ACL surgery in January and backup Isaac Redman has never been a featured back for an entire season.

Tolbert, 26, is a battering-ram runner who fits the Steelers' old rugged persona on offense and he's a valuable receiver who boosts the Steelers' recent pass-first philosophy. As a runner, he'll give you four yards per carry and a strong presence in the red zone (19 touchdowns in two seasons). As a receiver, he caught 54 passes, turning 23 of them into first downs.

Pittsburgh probably isn't looking to Tolbert to carry the running game. He's a complementary back who only had four games with double-digit carries last season.

The Steelers should get a good price on Tolbert, who hasn't received much interest in free agency. He had a visit with the Chiefs, who signed Peyton Hillis. It doesn't look like he'll be going back to the Chargers, who went with Le'Ron McClain. Those two former AFC North runners could now push Tolbert to the Steelers, who would get much stronger because of it.

Ray Lewis was noncommittal on whether he'll play Sunday at San Diego, but the Ravens linebacker said he's "confident" that he'll return at some point this season.

Lewis has been sidelined the past four games with a toe injury. Judging from Lewis' comments, it sounds like he has been wanting to play the past couple of weeks.

"I'm feeling way better," Lewis told Baltimore reporters Tuesday (via The Baltimore Sun) at a charity event in Baltimore. "Way better. I thought I had a good chance the last four weeks to play, but the coaches are going to make those decisions. They're just being smart. I don't mind being smart. The warrior side of me of course is always going to want to get back out there."

The Sun reported last week that Lewis was scheduled to return this week against the Chargers. On Monday, coach John Harbaugh said that he’s “very hopeful” that Lewis will be able to play Sunday.

"Whenever it's time for me get back on the field, I'm definitely going to get back on there," Lewis said.

The Ravens have gone 4-0 in Lewis' absence this season.

Here is some free advice for the Baltimore Ravens: They should call the Buffalo Bills.

There is a good chance Buffalo is willing to listen to trade offers for veteran receiver Lee Evans. Baltimore needs to pick up the phone and find out what the bounty is for the speedy receiver and make a quality offer.

The Ravens' front office -- one of the best in the NFL -- doesn't make many mistakes. But the team botched its receiver situation the past two weeks.

Baltimore cut reliable starter Derrick Mason to free up cap room. The goal was to get a younger, more dynamic replacement. But the Ravens failed to land San Diego Chargers receiver Malcom Floyd. That left Baltimore empty-handed.

This is a very important year for quarterback Joe Flacco. The Ravens would do Flacco a disservice by counting on a pair of rookies -- Torrey Smith and Tandon Doss -- to be his No. 2 and No. 3 receivers.

Evans, 30, has averaged 15.7 yards per reception during his eight-year career. He would provide the deep speed and veteran presence the Ravens covet. On top of that, Evans may be just a phone call away.

After cutting receiver Derrick Mason, the Baltimore Ravens wanted to fill the void with a more explosive receiver.

First, Steve Smith's name was mentioned. But he chose to stay with the Carolina Panthers.

Then, Malcom Floyd was next in line. But that pursuit ended Friday when Floyd re-signed with the San Diego Chargers. Floyd, 29, reportedly will make a maximum of $7 million over the next two seasons.

This is a tough blow to the Ravens. They released Mason, veteran tight end Todd Heap and running back Willis McGahee to clear cap space for more dynamic replacements.

Floyd would have been a great addition to the Ravens. His big-play ability was just what Baltimore and fourth-year quarterback Joe Flacco needed.

Options are dwindling nearly two weeks into free agency. Baltimore still has a chance to come full circle and re-sign Mason. But deep speed would be lacking in the starting lineup.

The are a few things you can guarantee in the AFC North in what should be a wild summer of free agency. One is that the Cleveland Browns will be searching for a starting-caliber safety.

Fortunately for Cleveland, safety is one of the deepest positions this year in free agency. There will be several good players looking for jobs and the Browns have money to spend.

Here is a free-agent preview for safeties:

Quintin Mikell, 30, Philadelphia Eagles

Analysis: Mikell is not a game-changing safety but could be the type of solid player the Browns are looking for. Mikell isn't great at any one thing but sound at everything. He's a solid tackler and solid in coverage. That fits well with second-year safety T.J. Ward, who is a big hitter. There are also a lot of ties with Mikell and the Browns. Cleveland general manager Tom Heckert, who held the same role in Philadelphia, is very familiar Mikell. And new Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron worked with Mikell last year as defensive backs coach of the Eagles.

Chances for the Browns: Good

Donte Whitner, 25, Buffalo Bills

Analysis: Whitner is a Cleveland native and also played for Jauron for four years (2006-2009) when Jauron was head coach of the Bills. Whitner is an aggressive safety who makes a lot of tackles. Last year he was second on the Bills with 140 tackles. But Whitner is not great in coverage and, thus, very similar to Ward. Pairing them together would make the Browns extremely physical but defending the deep pass could be an issue. Still, Whitner is a significant upgrade over what the Browns currently have at the position.

Chances for the Browns: Good

Eric Weddle, 26, San Diego Chargers

Analysis: Weddle is one of the better cover safeties in free agency, which is something the Browns are looking for. But Weddle will get plenty of interest around the league, and the Browns will not be front-runners for his services. Don't expect this one to happen.

Chances for the Browns: Average

Michael Huff, 28, Oakland Raiders

Analysis: A former No. 7 overall pick, Huff has mostly underachieved in Oakland. Huff had a solid contract year in 2010 but hasn't been the game-changing safety many expected. Huff is talented, and perhaps with better coaching and a fresh start he can be more consistent. Huff has been linked to several teams, including the Houston Texans, but there is no indication he would be interested in Cleveland or vice versa.

Chances for the Browns: Below average

ESPN.com's NFL writers rank the top 10 safeties in the league today. Next week: top 10 owners.

When it comes to rating NFL safeties, there's Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed followed by a huge gap before everyone else.

As expected, the star safeties for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens dominated ESPN.com's positional Power Rankings this week. No other safety received a vote higher than third place.

But what is surprising is that Polamalu -- the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year -- became the first player in this year's series to sweep all eight first-place votes. Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots did the same among head coaches.

This should finally put to rest the "Troy Reed" debate that has been raging for years between these two great safeties. According to our panel, there is a clear separation between the two. Reed received all second-place votes to finish with 72 points.

"Polamalu and Reed are the secondary's version of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. They are the gold standard of safety play," AFC West blogger Bill Williamson said. "While Reed is great, Polamalu is stunning. I've never seen him play and not make a jaw-dropping play."

Both safeties have different styles. But our panel preferred Polamalu's versatility to play closer to the line of scrimmage. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau uses Polamalu all over the field to help defend both the run and the pass.

Reed is more of a ballhawking safety who defends the deep portion of the field. He led the NFL with eight interceptions last season despite missing six games because of offseason hip surgery.

"Taking nothing away from Ed Reed, who is a great player in his own right, but Troy Polamalu is the first guy I think of when I think of safeties," NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas said. "He's been a huge force in Pittsburgh's recent championships. He's just a great all-around player and still in the prime of a career that's going to land him in the Hall of Fame on the first ballot."

Don't fret, Reed supporters. Someone is in your corner.

Earlier this year I interviewed former five-time Pro Bowl safety and current ESPN analyst Darren Woodson, who said he would choose Reed over Polamalu.

"As far as changing the game, I would probably start my defense with Ed Reed, to be honest with you," Woodson explained. "I know I can put him in any situation. I know I can put him on any team, and he will be the free safety in the middle of the field who makes plays on the ball. Now, Troy, it will be a little different. If you put him in a conventional defense, he's probably not going to be the same guy."

The best of the rest: There wasn't much of a consensus after Polamalu and Reed.

Fresh off a big interception return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLV, Nick Collins of the Green Bay Packers finished third with 56 points. But Collins received votes as high as third and as low as seventh. He was a distant 24 points behind Polamalu and 16 points behind Reed.

Adrian Wilson of the Arizona Cardinals finished fourth, but he drew the widest range of votes among safeties in the top 10. ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton and Bill Williamson ranked Wilson No. 3, and NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert ranked Wilson No. 10.

In the final tally, Kansas City Chiefs upstart Eric Berry was fifth, Michael Griffin of the Tennessee Titans placed sixth and Donte Whitner of the Buffalo Bills finished seventh. New England Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather was eighth, Antrel Rolle of the New York Giants was ninth and the Indianapolis Colts' Antoine Bethea and LaRon Landry of the Washington Redskins tied for 10th.

"There is a pretty wide gap for sure after the top two," said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. "Nick Collins would be my third safety, but the gap is pretty large. I think it is because Troy and Reed are just so good."

Seventeen safeties received votes, which was the second-highest total to date in our Power Rankings. Last month, 23 cornerbacks received votes for our top 10.

In addition, every voter had at least one player on his ballot who failed to make the cut. For example, NFC West blogger Mike Sando and I both voted for longtime St. Louis Rams safety and current Redskin Oshiomogho Atogwe, who finished 14th.

"I really struggled putting together the list after Polamalu and Reed," Sando said. "I kept shuffling around names and eliminating various guys, only to revive them out of necessity. This wasn't a list to feel good about."

What about Bob? It was not long ago when Bob Sanders was mentioned in the same sentence as Reed and Polamalu. When healthy, Sanders was a game-changing safety and helped lead the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl title after the 2006 season.

But for the past three seasons, Sanders has been injured and spent more time off the field than on it. The Colts cut Sanders, and he was picked up this offseason by the San Diego Chargers.

It's dramatic how fast and how far Sanders has fallen out of the conversation. He didn't receive a single vote from our panel.

"Sanders just hasn't played," AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky explained. "In his prime and healthy, he's fantastic. But who knows if we will see that again. He's played nine games in the last three years. There is no reason to even consider him for a list like this at this point."

The next generation: Polamalu (30) and Reed (32) will not play forever. Therefore, someone needs to step up as the next great safety to carry the torch Polamalu and Reed will leave behind.

Berry, 22, is the most likely candidate. The 2010 first-round pick was voted in the top five after helping lead the Chiefs to the postseason. Berry recorded 92 tackles, two sacks and four interceptions his rookie season.

"I think it's safe to project that Berry will be the premier safety in the NFL in the second half of this decade," Bill Williamson said. "He became the signature player on a surprise playoff team as a rookie. Soon, he will be the face of a rising organization."

Other up-and-coming candidates include Whitner (25), Bethea (26) and Landry (26). Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas, 21, also garnered votes from two panelists.

"Eric Berry and Earl Thomas should lead the next wave of top safeties," Sando said. "Berry's peers voted him among the top 100 players in the game for 2011, but I think it's premature to say Berry or any other second-year player is going to become the next Polamalu or Reed. Those guys have set such a high standard."

Here are the most interesting stories Thursday in the AFC North:

• Head coach John Harbaugh says the Baltimore Ravens will win championships with third-year quarterback Joe Flacco.

Morning take: Flacco is getting some heat for the Ravens not making it past the divisional round. Expectations will only increase in Baltimore as he matures.

• Everyone continues to talk about Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer's trade demands.

Morning take: I think this is one of the most intriguing stories of the offseason, especially since this is out of character for Palmer. He is obviously fed up with Cincinnati's losing ways.

• The Pittsburgh Steelers lost fullback Frank "The Tank" Summers to the San Diego Chargers.

Morning take: Summers will try his luck elsewhere after two uneventful seasons with the Steelers. Any fullback isn't going to get much playing time in Pittsburgh’s offense, which prefers to run three-receiver sets.

• The Cleveland Browns are loaded with experienced coaches on defense.

Morning take: President Mike Holmgren and head coach Pat Shurmur will be focused primarily on implementing a new West Coast offense in Cleveland. So the defense is pretty much up to Dick Jauron, Ray Rhodes and their staff.

CLEVELAND -- There was no champagne in the Pittsburgh Steelers' locker room Sunday evening.

The team passed out "2010 AFC North Champion" hats and T-shirts, but very few Steelers wore them. Pittsburgh starting safety Ryan Clark said he would immediately stuff the new merchandise in a drawer somewhere and probably won’t see it again for a long time.

Pittsburgh (12-4) was not in a celebratory or reflective mood after dismantling the Cleveland Browns, 41-9. The Steelers clinched the AFC North and a first-round bye. But they truly celebrate only championships, and winning an NFL-best seventh title is foremost on the organization's mind.

"This is just hardware along the way," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of winning the division, an NFL-record 20th division title since the merger in 1970.

The real season is just beginning for the Steelers. Despite a tumultuous year that included a four-game suspension of starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh is well-positioned to make a Super Bowl run for the second time in three seasons.

The Patriots are favored in the AFC, but the Steelers have the ingredients to make things very interesting.

1. Steelers thrive under the radar

Like most defending Super Bowl champions, the Steelers didn't handle well the pressure of trying to repeat last season. Pittsburgh was inconsistent, suffered key injuries and fell apart late in the season with a five-game losing streak.

The same focus and tenacity the Steelers had in 2008 weren't there during the 2009 season, but this year has been the opposite. Few expected much out of Pittsburgh, including this AFC North blogger, who predicted the Steelers would finish third in the division. Many thought the Steelers would unravel without Roethlisberger early and never recover.

But with little fanfare, Pittsburgh started the season 3-1 and took a businesslike approach in putting together 12 victories. Even now, most prognosticators are talking about the New England Patriots (14-2) dominating the AFC.

"You're never going to see us on 'Hard Knocks.' We're not going to be the team that's seen," Clark said of Pittsburgh’s lack of hype this year. "We have a team full of football players. There's no TV stars here. We have one guy [Troy Polamalu] in here with a commercial. And that’s just because he has nice hair."

2. Pittsburgh has the NFL's best defense

Sometimes statistics can be misleading. So do not pay attention to the San Diego Chargers (9-7) finishing No. 1 in total defense.

The NFL's best defense resides in Pittsburgh, and any time a team can dominate that side of the football, it has a great chance to win in the playoffs. The Steelers finished No. 2 in total defense, which includes one of the top run defenses in NFL history.

Pittsburgh has the ability to quickly make opponents one-dimensional, which feeds into its stout pass rush. It's a very tough combination, and Cleveland found out the hard way as it rushed for just 43 yards and rookie quarterback Colt McCoy was sacked four times.

"Physically, it was a tough game, they're a tough defense," McCoy said. "I got hit probably more than I've been hit all year."

3. Bye week is crucial

No team in the league needed a bye week more than the Steelers. This is a veteran group that was banged up at key positions.

Pittsburgh showed how important its Week 17 game was against the Browns by starting ailing star safety Polamalu. He missed the past two games with an Achilles injury and wasn't expected to return until the playoffs. But the Steelers gave Cleveland (5-10) their full arsenal.

Now Pittsburgh can rest until mid-January. The Steelers will sit injured starters such as Polamalu, Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey (stinger) and defensive end Aaron Smith, who is working to return from triceps surgery in October. Tomlin said he will know more about Smith's status for the playoffs next week.

"I talk to Aaron all the time," Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel added. "I don't know if he'll be ready. But obviously having the bye helps him, and it helps a lot of guys who are nicked up. But he's working hard. He's working his tail off like Aaron does all the time, and we hope to get him back."

4. Pittsburgh can avoid Patriots until late

It's no secret the Steelers do not match up well against quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots. Fortunately for the Steelers, they wouldn't meet New England unless it's in the AFC Championship Game.

New England pounded the Steelers, 39-26, in Week 10 in Pittsburgh. But in a one-game scenario in the postseason, anything is possible.

I spent some time in the Browns' locker room after the game to get their thoughts on the top two seeds in the AFC. Cleveland played the Patriots and Steelers three times total this season. The Browns beat New England and lost twice to the Steelers.

"The Patriots have smart players and they have Tom Brady, and anytime you have Brady, it's a lot easier to win," Browns fullback Lawrence Vickers said. "But Pittsburgh has the same thing. They have Ben [Roethlisberger], and he's such a playmaker. And their defense, there's not much more you can say about them except they're always good.

"It would probably come down to which defense can make the most stops."

You can never count out talented teams in the AFC such as the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts. But the Steelers -- along with the Patriots -- have positioned themselves for the easiest path to Super Bowl XLV in a competitive AFC field.

The AFC North blog held its own in Week 16 with a 2-1 record. The Cincinnati Bengals' upset of the San Diego Chargers was the only blemish.

Here are our picks for Week 17 (all times are ET):

Cincinnati Bengals (4-11) at Baltimore Ravens (11-4), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Skinny: The Bengals are finally playing good football and have won three straight against Baltimore. But I don't see Cincinnati taking another game at M&T Bank Stadium.

Pick: Ravens, 21-14

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) at Cleveland Browns (5-10), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Skinny: I didn't get a good feeling being around the Browns this week. This could be the calm before the storm that includes major changes on the coaching staff. Pittsburgh cruises.

Pick: Steelers, 21-7

Last week: 2-1

Overall: 30-20

Comment: We didn't do well enough this year to qualify for the playoffs. So this is our final week picking games until next season.

Here are the latest happenings Monday evening in the AFC North:

• Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II is considering expanding the capacity at Heinz Field by 2,500-4,000 seats.
• Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini said starting running back Peyton Hillis (ribs, knee) should be ready for this weekend's game against Pittsburgh.
• Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh admits rookie linebacker Sergio Kindle has a track record for making poor decisions.
  
• How would you grade the Cincinnati Bengals after their upset win over the San Diego Chargers?

Here are seven notes and observations from Week 16 in the AFC North:

[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Mark DuncanRavens cornerback Ed Reed intercepts a pass intended for Cleveland receiver Mohamed Massaquoi in the second quarter Sunday.
• Both literally and figuratively, Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed was on fire in their 20-10 victory against the Cleveland Browns. On the sidelines, Reed's jacket caught fire, which you can see here. But on the field, the future Hall of Famer took advantage of Cleveland rookie quarterback Colt McCoy's inexperience. Reed recorded two interceptions against McCoy, who threw three picks total. McCoy said Reed was reading his eyes the entire game to stay one step ahead. "Ed Reed is one of the greatest football players, and he has been over the last 10 years, and we knew that going in," McCoy said. "I told you guys I have to be aware of him. I have to know where he is at all times."
• When Reed gets hot, his interceptions can come in bunches. According to ESPN's Stats and Information, Sunday marked Reed's 10th career multi-interception game. Reed is the NFL's active leader in that category, two games ahead of Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel.
• Although the Browns played sloppily and committed four turnovers, there was nothing wrong with their effort this week. The Browns continued their season-long trend of getting up for good teams and admitted they were inspired by the trash-talking during the week by Baltimore's Ray Lewis. The Ravens' linebacker said Cleveland tailback Peyton Hillis' 144-yard performance in the first game wouldn't happen again. That prompted Cleveland fullback Lawrence Vickers to get into a pregame shouting match with Lewis, and Browns guard Eric Steinbach to mimic Lewis' dance during introductions. "I think everybody who reads [the comments] realizes that it was disrespectful," Browns left tackle Joe Thomas said after the game. "You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out if it was a lack of respect." In the end, Lewis got the last laugh. Hillis rushed for just 35 yards and was banged up after suffering a rib injury.
• Browns president Mike Holmgren's name is starting to come up as more coaching jobs are vacated around the NFL. But in our opinion, the only opening that could possibly test his commitment to Cleveland would be the San Francisco 49ers. As ESPN.com's NFC West blogger Mike Sando wisely pointed out, Holmgren has very strong ties to the Bay Area and learned his craft under Bill Walsh in San Francisco. That might make Holmgren at least give it a thought. But Holmgren's absolute control in Cleveland will be hard to match, and there is no guarantee he could get that in San Francisco or any other job opening. Plus, Holmgren seems genuinely dedicated to turning the Browns around. And if he wants to return to the sidelines in 2011 -- which is certainly a possibility -- Holmgren can do it in Cleveland with a roster he's helped build for the past year.
• Pittsburgh Steelers rookie receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown are proving to be good finds. Both are playing well late in the season. Sanders, a third-round pick, has taken over as Pittsburgh's third receiver and has 11 receptions for 132 yards in his past two games. Brown, a sixth-round pick, also has four catches the past two weeks and is making plays on special teams. In addition to receiver Mike Wallace, who was a third-round pick in 2009, Pittsburgh is having tremendous success finding wide receivers in the middle rounds.
• Speaking of receivers, could Jerome Simpson's sudden development signal the end for Chad Ochocinco with the Cincinnati Bengals? Simpson exploded in Sunday's win against the San Diego Chargers with six receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Considering it will cost $6 million to keep Ochocinco in 2011, don't dismiss the possibility of the Bengals taking a $3.5 million buyout. Cincinnati is expected to rebuild and go with younger players next season. The team reportedly has no plans to bring back veteran Terrell Owens, and Ochocinco will turn 33 in a couple weeks and is coming off his second bad season in three years. The Bengals went through a 10-game losing streak with Owens and Ochocinco as starters, yet are winning down the stretch with Simpson, Andre Caldwell and Jordan Shipley. That could be a sign the Bengals' offense can move on without the six-time Pro Bowler.
• Finally, we want to give a special "Seven-step drop" birthday shout-out to Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, who turns 31 today, and Ravens fullback Le'Ron McClain, who is 26. Both players should be happy on their birthdays after picking up victories Sunday. Palmer played one of his best games of the season (269 yards and four touchdowns) against the Chargers. McClain rushed for 19 yards and caught one pass in the win against Cleveland.

Here are some thoughts on the Cincinnati Bengals' victory over the San Diego Chargers:

What it means: It means the Bengals have won two in a row and improved to 4-11 on the season. The win by Cincinnati also knocks San Diego (8-7) out of playoff contention. The Bengals suffered an NFL-high 10-game losing streak earlier this year but is doing a solid job of finishing strong. This may have been the last home game in Cincinnati for several key members of the organization, and if that's the case, they left Paul Brown Stadium on a good note.

What I liked: The Bengals continue to fight in December despite the season being over long ago. This was a game dominated by Cincinnati's younger players, particularly third-year receiver Jerome Simpson, who had a breakout game. Simpson set new career highs with six catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns. The former second-round pick is finally starting to show his skills in the past two weeks and is making a strong case to play a bigger role in 2011. The Bengals finished the game with 21 points in the fourth quarter.

What I didn't like: The Bengals played a very good game, so these are minor critiques. But Cincinnati starting running back Cedric Benson fumbled for the seventh time this year. This time it didn't hurt the Bengals. Cincinnati also had six penalties for 57 yards, compared to one penalty for San Diego.

What's next: The Bengals will go to Baltimore next week to try and play spoiler again against the Ravens. Cincinnati swept Baltimore last season and also beat the Ravens in Week 2. Baltimore may be playing for the AFC North title and a first-round bye, depending on the outcome of the Pittsburgh Steelers' game in Week 17 against the Cleveland Browns.

Here is the final injury report for Week 16 in the AFC North (all times are ET):

Baltimore Ravens (10-4) at Cleveland Browns (5-9), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Ravens

Out: WR David Reed (head), S Tom Zbikowski (back)

Questionable: TE Todd Heap (thigh), CB Chris Carr (illness)

Probable: LB Brendon Ayanbadejo (knee), C Matt Birk (knee), WR Derrick Mason (ankle), OL Tony Moll (illness), S Haruki Nakamura (illness), LB Jason Phillips (illness), DE Cory Redding (elbow), WR Marcus Smith (shoulder)

Browns

Doubtful: TE Robert Royal

Questionable: LB Eric Alexander (shoulder), DL Kenyon Coleman (knee), DL Shaun Rogers (ankle, hip)

Probable: LB Marcus Benard (shoulder), CB Sheldon Brown (shoulder), WR Josh Cribbs (foot), RB Peyton Hillis (knee), QB Colt McCoy (illness), WR Chansi Stuckey (thigh), OL John St. Clair (ankle), OL Floyd Womack (knee)

San Diego Chargers (8-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-11), Sunday at 4:05 p.m.

Chargers

Out: LB Stephen Cooper (knee), TE Antonio Gates (toe, foot)

Doubtful: WR Patrick Crayton (wrist), WR Malcom Floyd (hamstring)

Questionable: LB Larry English (foot), C Scott Mruczkowski (ankle)

Probable: LB Antwan Applewhite (ankle), RB Jacob Hester (illness), RB Ryan Mathews (illness), LB Brandon Siler (ribs), G Louis Vasquez (neck), WR Kelley Washington (hip)

Bengals

Out: Brian Leonard (ankle)

Questionable: WR Chad Ochocinco (ankle), RB Bernard Scott (toe), CB Jonathan Wade (knee), OL Dennis Roland (knee)

Probable: OL Kyle Cook (elbow)

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Here are five nuggets of knowledge about Week 16:

Fiery Joe: What's gotten into Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco lately? Flacco, who earned the nickname "Joe Cool" to describe his temperament, has been very fiery. In the past few weeks, Flacco has argued with officials and gotten into a heated exchange with veteran receiver Derrick Mason on the sidelines. In his third season, Flacco is playing well and showing more emotion than ever, and it's part of his evolution as an offensive leader in Baltimore. Is this a good thing? "I think so," Ravens defensive end/linebacker Terrell Suggs said in a conference call this week. "We have a very loose locker room, and it's good to see Joe have a little bit of fire to him."

Stopping the run: Ravens running back Ray Rice is coming off his most complete game of the season with 233 total yards and two touchdowns. He will present a stiff challenge for the Cleveland Browns' run defense, which has struggled. The Browns have been pushed around at the line of scrimmage the past two weeks, allowing 380 rushing yards in losses to the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. Cleveland has been a tough team all season, but you have to wonder if that toughness is starting to fade down the stretch.

Third-down woes: Another reason Cleveland's defense is wearing down: The offense can't move the chains. In the past three games, the Browns are an abysmal 6-for-32 (18.7 percent) on third-down conversions. Cleveland cannot sustain long drives and, even after getting turnovers, usually settles for a field goal or quickly gives the ball back to the other team. Browns offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is on the hot seat after not being able to get his group going all year.

Young receivers: With Terrell Owens (knee) on injured reserve and Chad Ochocinco (ankle) ailing, expect to see a lot more from third-year Bengals receivers Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell. They were taken in the second and third rounds, respectively, in 2008 and projected to be major contributors by now. But opportunities and production have been sparse. Simpson and Caldwell got extended playing time last week against the Browns, combining for six receptions for 129 yards. Both are auditioning for bigger roles in 2011.

Extended rest: After picking up a 27-3 victory against the Carolina Panthers, the Steelers get 10 days to rest for their regular-season finale against Cleveland on Jan. 2. Pittsburgh will look to avenge last year's 13-6 loss in Cleveland, which helped keep the Steelers out of the playoffs. The game will be meaningful for Pittsburgh in the standings if Baltimore beats the Browns on Sunday.

Jenny Dell goes inside the numbers for the Chargers vs. the Bengals.